Vaccine-Preventable Disease: The Forgotten Story

Vaccines to prevent infectious diseases are among medicine’s most significant advances, wiping out or drastically reducing many dangerous illnesses from the face of the earth. But with progress comes complacency. Collectively, many have lost the memory of smallpox, meningitis, polio and other diseases, with some individuals considering themselves, their children and grandchildren safe, with or without vaccines. Misinformation about vaccine risks have compounded the problem, resulting in lagging vaccination rates in some communities and outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, a disease that was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.

One of the most heartbreaking things a physician can witness is a patient suffering or dying from a vaccine-preventable disease. A college student losing most of her limbs from meningitis; a woman losing the ability to have a child due to HPV; a child losing his life to influenza. To help remind us what is at risk when vaccines are withheld, we asked those who know the effects of vaccine-preventable disease first-hand to share their experiences. Click below to hear their stories or to share it with someone who deserves to know.



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Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Texas Children's Hospital

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Human Papillomavirus (HPV)

Texas Children's Hospital

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HPV is one of the most prevalent diseases in the U.S., causing 27,000 new cases of cancer per year. Yet vaccination rates remain stubbornly low. This book features the personal stories of 10 individuals who have had HPV or who lost a loved one to HPV-related cancer. It includes surprising facts about HPV and clears up myths about the vaccine.

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